Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg won a dramatic Australian Grand Prix, after a huge crash for McLaren’s Fernando Alonso. A bad start dropped Lewis Hamilton from pole to sixth but he fought to second.

• Rosberg took advantage when the race was stopped following Alonso’s high-speed barrel-roll to switch strategy and overhaul early leader Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
• Rosberg’s 15th career victory was also his fourth in succession after the German won the final three races of last season.
• His team mate and pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton finished second, some eight seconds behind after recovering from a chaotic start that pushed the defending world champion back to sixth at the first turn.
• The race arguably turned as a result of the terrifying accident involving Alonso and Esteban Gutierrez of new team Haas on lap 17.
• The two-time champion was clearly shaken but, although he limped away from his car, he was uninjured.

Hamilton had been in imperious form through practice and qualifying. He was out of the reach of his rivals as he re-found the form that had won him his third world title in 2015, but which he lost in the final three races of last season when he stopped working as hard once the title was won.